News

7:46 pm

Mon March 10, 2014

16 Mumps Cases Confirmed At Ohio State; Number Could Climb

16 cases of the mumps have been confirmed in an outbreak at Ohio State University, but officials say that number could climb.

Public health officials are investigating the possible source of the outbreak. Columbus Public Health spokesperson Jose Rodriguez says health officials throughout Ohio have been warned to watch for mumps symptoms and cases that might be connected to the outbreak, as many students leave campus for spring break. Rodriguez says the virus can be contagious for weeks and up to a third of those infected don't show symptoms. The confirmed cases include 9 men and 7 women, ranging from 18 to 48 years old. Some had severe symptoms, but none was hospitalized. Mumps are a highly contagious viral infection. Classic symptoms include muscle aches and low grade fever.